Tourist telescope

Abstract

To provide a tourist telescope which allows for aligning an optical axis Oa thereof with that of a camera 50 of a user while a shutter 40 is closed before a charging operation is performed.SOLUTION: A fine hole 41 is formed through a shutter 40 to allow light traveling along an optical axis Oa of an optical system 30 to pass while a light path is closed. Light incident from an objective lens 31 and traveling along the optical axis Oa reaches an eyepiece lens 32 through the fine hole 41 formed through the shutter 40. A user can align the optical axis with that of a camera 50 using a light image on the optical axis Oa as a mark.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to tourist telescopes / binoculars (hereinafter collectively referred to as "tourist telescopes") that are installed in tourist spots, scenic locations, and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Tourist telescopes, which are installed at tourist spots and places with beautiful scenery, are designed so that when a coin (cash) is inserted, the internal shutter opens and the telescope becomes usable (i.e., a state in which distant views are magnified and can be seen through the eyepiece), and then, when a set time has elapsed, the shutter closes and the telescope becomes unusable (i.e., the image that enters the objective lens cannot be seen through the eyepiece).

[0003] In recent years, an increasing number of users wish to photograph the scenery seen through tourist telescopes using compact cameras, cameras built into mobile terminals, etc. When taking such photographs, as described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to align the optical axis of the camera lens with the optical axis of the binoculars (tourist telescope).

[0004] However, in conventional tourist telescopes, the shutter is closed and blocks light from the objective lens until a coin is inserted, so even if a user places the objective lens of their camera opposite the eyepiece of the tourist telescope, nothing will be captured on the camera. Therefore, when the telescope is out of use, the optical axis of the camera cannot be aligned with the optical axis of the tourist telescope. Therefore, users had to insert a coin to activate the tourist telescope, then align the optical axis of the camera with the optical axis of the tourist telescope. Because the timer continued to run while this was being done, there was an issue that this shortened the time available to actually take pictures and enjoy the scenery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5627058 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a tourist telescope that allows the optical axis to be aligned with the user's camera (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "camera") when the shutter is closed before the charging operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the tourist telescope of the present invention is a tourist telescope comprising an optical system configured to magnify an image incident through an objective lens and to make it visible at a position opposite an eyepiece, a shutter that opens and closes the optical path of light passing through the optical system, and a shutter drive unit that drives the shutter to open the optical path based on a charging operation and drives the shutter to close the optical path after a preset time has elapsed, The shutter is characterized by having a small hole that allows light passing through the optical axis of the optical system while the optical path is closed.

[0008] Even when the shutter is closed before the charging operation, the light on the optical axis incident from the objective lens passes through the aperture formed in the shutter to the eyepiece side, so that the user can align the optical axis with the camera using the light on the optical axis as a mark.

[0009] Here, the pore is preferably formed to a size that allows only a portion of the light that enters from the objective lens and passes through the optical axis of the optical system and its surroundings to pass through, and that prevents the image that enters from the objective lens from being recognized at the position opposite the eyepiece lens using the light that is allowed to pass through. This allows the prerequisite functions of the tourist telescope to be maintained, which become available upon payment.

[0010] The aperture may be formed in a circular shape, with the center of the aperture positioned at a position where it intersects with the optical axis of the optical system when the shutter closes the optical path. With this configuration, a small circular image of light can be seen through the eyepiece. The center of this small circular image is the optical axis of the tourist telescope, so the optical axis of the camera can be easily aligned using the center of this image as a landmark. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] As described above, with the tourist telescope according to the present invention, it is possible to align the optical axis with the camera even when the shutter is closed before the charging operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing the appearance of a tourist telescope according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] (a) is a plan view diagram showing a typical example of the optical system and shutter configuration built into the telescope body, and (b) is a right side view diagram showing a typical example of the shutter configuration. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating a method for aligning an optical axis. [Figure 4] 10(a), (b), and (c) are front views showing the display screen of a camera for explaining a specific example of optical axis alignment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a tourist telescope according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of a tourist telescope according to this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the tourist telescope comprises a telescope body 10 and a support 20.

[0014] The support pillar 20 is configured by combining a lower support pillar 21 and an upper support pillar 22, and the lower support pillar 21 is fixed in an upright position on the ground of a tourist spot, etc. The upper support pillar 22 is connected coaxially to the lower support pillar 21 and is configured to be able to rotate left and right around a central axis (vertical axis) relative to the lower support pillar 21.

[0015] The telescope body 10 is supported on the upper end of the upper support column 22 and can freely rotate left and right together with the upper support column 22. A bearing structure (not shown) is also provided on the upper end of the upper support column 22, and the telescope body 10 can freely swing up and down around a horizontal axis via this bearing structure.

[0016] By rotating the telescope body 10 left and right and swinging it up and down, the user can freely take in the surrounding scenery into the optical system 30 of the telescope body 10 and enjoy viewing the magnified scenery.

[0017] When a coin (cash) is inserted into a coin slot (not shown) on the support 20, the internal shutter of the tourist telescope opens and the telescope becomes available for use. After that, when a preset time has elapsed, the shutter closes and the telescope becomes unavailable.

[0018] FIG. 2(a) is a plan view showing a schematic example of the optical system and shutter configuration built into the telescope body, and FIG. 2(b) is a right side view showing a schematic example of the shutter configuration. The tourist telescope according to this embodiment, which has the configuration of binoculars, has a pair of optical systems 30, one on the left and one on the right when viewed from above, built into the telescope body 10. Each optical system 30 is symmetrical and is made up of a combination of multiple lenses and prisms. Each optical system 30 is configured to magnify the image incident on it from its respective objective lens 31 so that it can be viewed at the position opposite the eyepiece lens 32.

[0019] Furthermore, inside the telescope body 10, a shutter 40 is provided for each optical system 30. The shutter 40 is a component that opens and closes the optical path of light passing through the optical system 30, and is made, for example, from a metal plate that can block light. Each shutter 40 is driven to open and close simultaneously by a shutter drive unit 42.

[0020] The shutter drive unit 42 has the function of driving the shutter 40 to open the optical path of the optical system 30 when a user performs a billing operation such as inserting a coin, and then driving the shutter 40 again to close the optical path after a preset time has elapsed.

[0021] In this embodiment, the shutter drive unit 42 is configured to operate the motor 43 and transmit the drive force to the shutter 40 when a charging operation such as inserting a coin is performed. The shutter 40 opens the optical path of the optical system 30 using the drive force transmitted from the motor 43. The shutter drive unit 42 also measures the time since the shutter 40 opens using a timer (not shown), and when a preset time has elapsed, drives the shutter 40 to close the optical path of the optical system 30. The operation to close the shutter 40 can be performed using the drive force of the motor 43 rotating in the reverse direction or the drive force of a biasing member such as a spring. The motor 43 may also be a solenoid.

[0022] The shutter 40 has a slit 41 formed therein. The slit 41 has the function of allowing light passing through the optical axis Oa of the optical system 30 to pass through even when the optical path of the light passing through the optical system 30 is closed (i.e., when the tourist telescope is not in use). By using the light that has passed through this pore 41, it becomes possible to align the optical axis of the camera carried by the user with the optical axis Oa of the optical system 30 of the tourist telescope.

[0023] Here, the size of pore 41 is set to satisfy the following two conditions: pore 41 is set to a size that allows only a portion of the light that enters from objective lens 31 and passes along optical axis Oa of optical system 30 and its surroundings to pass through, and the light that passes through is necessary and sufficient for aligning the optical axis of the camera (condition 1), while the size is set so that the image that enters from objective lens 31 cannot be recognized at the position opposite eyepiece lens 32 using only the light that passes through (condition 2). By setting the size of the pore 41 so as to satisfy not only condition 1 but also condition 2, the view cannot be seen even by looking through the eyepiece 32 until the shutter 40 is opened by paying a fee, and the prerequisite function of the tourist telescope, which becomes available by paying a fee, is maintained.

[0024] In this embodiment, the aperture 41 is formed in a circular shape, and the center of the aperture 41 is positioned at a point where it intersects with the optical axis Oa of the optical system 30 when the shutter 40 is in a state where the optical path of the optical system 30 is closed. A small circular image of light can be seen through the eyepiece 32. The center of this small circular image of light is the optical axis Oa of the tourist telescope, so the optical axis of the camera can be easily aligned using the center of the circular image as a landmark.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, before performing the charging operation, the user places the objective lens 51 of the camera 50 they own in a position facing the eyepiece 32 of the tourist telescope. Then, using the light on the optical axis Oa that has passed through the slit 41 as a guide, the user aligns the optical axis Ob of the camera 50. This allows the optical axis Ob of the camera 50 to be aligned with the optical axis Oa of the optical system 30 of the tourist telescope.

[0026] 4(a) and (b) show a specific example of how to align the optical axis while looking at the display screen of the camera. When camera 50 is turned on, an image incident on objective lens 51 is displayed on display screen 52. Therefore, when objective lens 51 of camera 50 is placed opposite eyepiece 32 of the tourist telescope, light passing through slit 41 formed in shutter 40 enters objective lens 51 of camera 50 from eyepiece 32 of the tourist telescope, and an image of light (hereinafter referred to as "light image") 53 is displayed on display screen 52.

[0027] When the optical axis Oa of the optical system 30 of the tourist telescope and the optical axis Ob of the camera 50 are aligned, the light image 53 is projected on the display screen 52 with a clear circular outline, as shown in Figure 4(a). On the other hand, when there is a positional misalignment between the optical axis Oa of the optical system 30 of the tourist telescope and the optical axis Ob of the camera 50, the light image 53 projected on the display screen 52 does not have a circular outline, and some of the periphery is missing (called vignetting), as shown in Figure 4(b). Therefore, the user adjusts the position of camera 50 while observing light image 53 projected on display screen 52 of camera 50 so that light image 53 with a circular outline is projected (see FIG. 4(a)). This allows the optical axis Ob of camera 50 to be aligned with optical axis Oa of optical system 30 of the tourist telescope.

[0028] 4(c), some commercially available cameras have a function for displaying the position of the optical axis Ob (for example, the intersection of the crosshairs) on the display screen 52. In this case, the position of the camera 50 can be adjusted so that the center of the light image 53 projected on the display screen 52 is aligned with the position of the optical axis Ob displayed on the display screen 52.

[0029] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and applications are possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a tourist telescope incorporating a pair of optical systems 30, but the present invention can also be applied to a monocular tourist telescope incorporating a single optical system. In this case, too, a small hole can be formed in the shutter that opens and closes the optical path of the optical system, allowing light passing along the optical axis to pass through.

[0030] Furthermore, the optical system 30 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is merely an example, and the present invention can be applied to tourist telescopes that employ various other optical systems. Furthermore, the shutter and shutter drive unit are not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiment, and the present invention can be applied to tourist telescopes that employ various types of shutters and shutter drive units. The charging operation for driving the shutter to open the optical path of the optical system is not limited to the well-known coin insertion operation, but includes various charging operations used in tourist telescopes, such as charging operations using electronic payment systems that use two-dimensional codes such as QR Code (registered trademark).

[0031] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the optical axis Ob of the camera 50 is aligned with the optical axis Oa of the optical system 30 of the tourist telescope, but the optical axis can also be aligned using a similar procedure for the camera of a mobile terminal carried by a user. That is, when the camera app on the mobile device is launched, the image incident on the objective lens is displayed on the display screen of the mobile device. Then, the objective lens is placed opposite the eyepiece of the tourist telescope, and the light image is displayed on the display screen. In this way, the optical axis can be aligned while observing the light image displayed on the display screen.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. The tourist telescope shown in the figure has a telescope body 10 and a light source 60 using an LED or the like mounted at a desired location on the inner wall of the telescope barrel. Light source 60 is configured to be turned on by operating switch 61. Light from light source 60 illuminates the inner wall of the telescope barrel, and some of this light enters objective lens 31, passes through small hole 41 in shutter 40 (see Figure 2), and can be seen at the position opposite eyepiece 32. Light source 60 can be configured to be turned off automatically when shutter 40 opens, or can be turned off by operating switch 61. Needless to say, the light from light source 60 is bright enough that it will not have any adverse effects on the eyes even if you were to look directly at it.

[0033] When viewing a night view or other times when it is dark around the tourist telescope, the amount of light required for optical axis alignment may not be obtained through the aperture 41 (see Figure 2) of the shutter 40. In such an environment, by turning on the light source 60, the light from the light source 60 can be taken into the optical system, and the amount of light required for optical axis alignment can be obtained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 10: Telescope body 10, 20: Post, 21: Lower post, 22: Upper post, 30: optical system, 31: objective lens, 32: eyepiece lens, Oa: optical axis, 40: shutter, 41: aperture, 42: shutter drive unit, 43: motor, 50: camera, 51: objective lens, Ob: optical axis, 52: display screen, 53: light image, 60: Light source, 61: Switch

Claims

1. A tourist telescope comprising: an optical system configured to magnify an image incident through an objective lens and to make it visible at a position opposite an eyepiece; a shutter that opens and closes an optical path of light passing through said optical system; and a shutter drive unit that drives said shutter to open said optical path based on a charging operation and drives said shutter to close said optical path after a preset time has elapsed, A tourist telescope, characterized in that the shutter is formed with a small hole that allows light passing through the optical axis of the optical system to pass when the optical path is closed.

2. The tourist telescope of claim 1, characterized in that the pore is sized to pass only a portion of the light that enters from the objective lens and passes through the optical axis of the optical system and its surroundings, and is formed to be sized so that the image that enters from the objective lens cannot be recognized at the position opposite the eyepiece lens with the light that has passed through.

3. The tourist telescope according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aperture is formed in a circular shape, and the center of the aperture is positioned at a position where it intersects with the optical axis of the optical system when the shutter closes the optical path.

4. 4. The sightseeing telescope according to claim 1, further comprising a light source for irradiating light onto the objective lens.

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